Christians in Nepal Petition Government to Repeal Religious Conversion Ban

ICC Note:

Christians in Nepal have sent a petition to their government asking that a ban on religious conversions be repealed. The anti-conversion ban, which was signed into law in October 2017, has many Nepalese Christians afraid that it will be used by Hindu radicals to target and harass Christian leaders. Similar laws are used in India by Hindu radicals, many of whom have ties to groups in Nepal. Nepal is home to one of the world’s fastest growing Christian communities, will this law be repealed or will it be kept to curb the amazing growth?

01/21/2018 Nepal (Mission Network News) – In 2015, Nepal changed its constitution to become a secular nation with the freedom of religion. However, in October, Nepal’s President Bidhya Dev Bhandari signed a Criminal Code Bill into law. This law, known as the anti-conversion law, makes religious conversion illegal and punishable by five years in prison and a fine of 50,000 rupees.

The law technically prohibits any person from sharing their faith or converting to a different faith. Furthermore, the freedom of religion in Nepal was already restricted by the 2015 constitution in Article 26 (3) where it states,

“No person shall, in the exercise of the right conferred by this Article, do, or cause to be done, any act which may be contrary to public health, decency and morality or breach public peace, or convert another person from one religion to another or any act or conduct that may jeopardize other’s religion and such act shall be punishable by law.”

It’s questionable if this law was influenced by Nepal’s relationship with India, a country where many of its states also have anti-conversion laws. With that said, when Nepal declared itself as a secular nation, India essentially blackmailed the nation by blocking supplies from entering.

Because Nepal is nestled among the Himalayas, India is the main route for supplies and trade. The country also receives all its oil, petroleum, and gasoline from a single supplier in India: the Indian Oil Corporation. For Nepal, staying on good terms with India is nearly a must for survival.

However, despite Nepal’s relationship with India, this anti-conversion law became a campaign point when Nepal held elections in November for the first time in 20 years. Some candidates began promising Christians positive change to this anti-conversion law if the said candidate was elected. And not many Christians in the country wanted their vote to be baited by promises of change.

Instead, many Christians in Nepal have signed a petition urging the government to remove this anti-conversion law, but there’s been no word yet of how the petition is being received. Pastor Chhatri*, a pastor in Nepal explains:

“This decision made by [the] government made a great discouragement and brought fear in the life of Christians. But, we Christians leaders [and] families stand and encourage our people to adapt to any situation and to continue [to] share Christ and continue [to] encourage each other and support each other.”

Despite the law being in place, there hasn’t been much action from the government to enforce it. Chhatri explains this could be because the government is simply focused on other things. Still, many Christians in Nepal have been taking this opportunity to continue sharing Christ, equip God’s people, and plant churches.

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My next door neighbor
A so called
Self proclaimed pastor is into same crapp
I’m a Christian and I’m against conversation from any religion to any other

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." Do we fully believe this? And no, it’s not easy. May we be faithful to pray for them, that God would work in and thru, and despite, the insidious injustices they are forced to endure.

TTERRIBL GOVERMENT OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN ARE TIRANY

Lord Jesus please bring peace and security in India. Amen

Please pray that the BJP government should not win in the upcoming elections.

I can’t stand liars. Praying for our brothers and sisters in India.

How can someone force to change my soul?

Hindus in India basically are innocent souls, but now a days some of them become tool of devil force’s

Dear Father God,
COME GET YOUR CHILDREN

Praying

What utter nonsense. Christians do NOT use FORCE when sharing their faith. It is a personal CHOICE and our duty is to SHARE it with others, THEIR choice is to accept or reject it.

We’ve shared about India’s growing persecution as religious and political tension mounts. This video delves into the recent incidents of Pastor Gideon in southern India, who was apparently hung in his church, and a mob that burned a church in northern India. Please continue to pray for Christians in India to respond in love, to be protected, and to have good communication with non-Christians in their communities. … See MoreSee Less

May we listen and learn. May we not feel overcome with sadness and/or despair, but be faithful to pray for these fellow believers. Jesus told us that such persecutions would come and He holds the answers to every such attack, every such killing. The gates of hell shall not prevail, so we pray for comfort, for courage, for forgiveness, for strength, and for wisdom for all affected. Our God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine, so let’s ask in complete faith, of He, Who is more than able.

Evil spirits blowing across India.
Only prayers & fasting can stop it from turning into Sodom and Gomorrah.

American citizen and pastor Andrew Brunson sits imprisoned in a Turkish prison for his faith. Now, Serkan Golge, a dual Turkish-American citizen, is serving 7.5 years in Turkey’s prisons on false charges on terrorism. Senator James Lankford is calling for the US to impose sanctions in light of Turkey’s actions.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Brunson and other prisoners of conscience in Turkey. More details in Sen. Lankford’s commentary below: … See MoreSee Less

I see death murder and terrorism in country which follow fake character
Go
Follow the real saviour
We will pray for you

Hahaha nobody need your prayers
It is one of the peaceful country on earth
See America daily gun violence and murder all because of following fake character
Follow lord Buddha

See daily shooting in America
They are following a fake and phony religion
We will pray for America
The devil will claim more life in America
Worship the real lord before it’s too late

Praise be to the lord…. 😇

Absolutely beautiful! I will save this song for me! 💗

That is because Christianity bucks ancient Nepal traditions.

How can I find it in you tube? What’s the name of it please?

Beautiful song and worship ❤️🙌🏼

In any language. God is Love!!!!

Really beautiful! Dameria Ehring

America is worst country for Hindus , Buddhism and Muslims
One of the worst country for gun violence they need real saviour
We will pray for them
Come to the real lord Buddha
See devil is killing more innocent lives in America
Stop promoting fake religion and start believing in the one true lord

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